Fruit-clipper.



N0- 803,796. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905. G. F. STREIGHT.

FRUIT CLIPPER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6, 1905.

upual'ot QR n no as CHARLES F. STREIGHT, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

FRUllT-CLIPPER.

Specification of Letters iatent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1905.

Application filed April 6, 1905. gerial No. 254,155.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. STREIGHT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFruit-Clippers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of pruning implements known asfruit-clippers, and has special reference to a device of this characterpossessing special utility for clipping and picking citrus fruit.

To this end the invention contemplates a fruit-clipper in the form of apair of handshears and embodying a simple and pnactical improvementwhich permits the close clipping of the stem of the fruit when pickedfrom the tree, so that during the operation of picking the fruit therewill be no projecting stem to perforate other fruit in the same box,which is a common cause of injury to the fruit. This injury results fromthe use of pointed shears, which are often very carelessly handled bythe picker. Frequently a careless picker not only fails to cut the stemclose enough to the fruit, but oftentimes inserts the sharp points ofthe shears into the skin of the fruit to cut the stem short.

The present invention is intended to overcome the above objections. tothe use of the ordinary sharp-pointed fruit-clipping shears by providinga construction which permits a close clipping of the stem withoutpuncturing the skin of the fruit by the points of the shears in thecutting operation. Furthermore, the improvement contemplated by theinvention permits the fruit to be directed into the picking-sack withoutbeing perforated by the shear points and also prevents the shears fromcatching on limbs and twigs of the tree in theact of withdrawing them.

With these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts which willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a fruitclippe'r embodying the presentinvention and shown in its normal spring-opened position. Fig. 2 is arear elevation of the clipper. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. i is an enlarged detail in perspective of the bladeend of one of the shear members.

Like reference-numbers designate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

In carrying out the invention the implement in its general formresembles an ordinary type of fruit-clipping hand-shears essentiallyconsisting of a pair of pivotally-connected shear members 1 and 2,arranged in intersecting relation and united at their point of crossingby the pivot or scissors-joint 3, and at one side of the pivot3 theshear members 1 and 2 are extended into the usual handles A, which aredesigned to be temporarily held together in closed relation by thereleasable link-fastening 5, which is employed when the clipperis not inuse. At the opposite side of the pivot from the handles Athe shearmembers are provided with the flat cuttingblades 6, the beveled cuttingedges of which are arranged in overlapping relation, so that in the actof cutting one blade works over the other, and thus produces a shearingcut. The said blades 6 (when the link-fastening 5 is released) arenormally held open through the medium of the separating-spring 7,interposed between the handl s 4. The flat blades 6 are curved in thedirection of their length, and a distinctive feature of the presentinvention resides in having the tip end of each blade bent or deflectedrearwardly on acurved line, as indicated at 8, to produce a curved bluntnose.

A further feature of the invention consists in providing aguard orfilling lug 9, arranged on the back side of each blade and partiallyfilling the concavity at the rear side of and beyond said deflected tipor nose 8. As plainly shown in the sectional view Fig. 3 of thedrawings, the guard-lug 9 is of a triangular form in longitudinalsection, and the outer surface thereof merges into the outer surface ofthe nose 8 and also into the rear face of the blade, thus providing aguard which positively prevents the shear-points catching on the limbsor twigs of the tree in the act of withdrawing the same. The guardlug 9extends along the outer edges of the blades 6, thus leaving the inneredges of the noses 8 unobstructed for cutting purposes and permittingone nose to close in behind the other. This construction permits of avery close clipping of the stem, while at the same time possessing theother advantages herein pointed out.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is

1. A fruit-clipper comprising a pair of pivotally-connected shearmembers provided at one side of the pivot With cutting-blades, eachhaving a rearWardly-deflected tip to produce a blunt nose.

2. A fruit-clipper comprising a pair of pivotally-connected shearmembers provided at one side of the pivot with cutting-blades, eachblade having a rearWardly-deflected tip producing a blunt nose, and aguard-lug arranged on the back side of the blade and lying in theconcavity at the rear side of and beyond the deflected tip.

3. A fruit-clipper comprising a pair of pivotally-connected shearmembers provided at CHARLES F. STREIGHT.

WVitnesses:

WILLIAM G. IRVING, G. O. DENNIS.

